Mechanism for supplying sheet material



March 15, 1938.

E. L. SMITH ET AL MECHANISM FOR SUPPLYING SHEET MATERIAL Original Filed Odt. 1 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTORS a M 0 u M Z R M a Can my M7551 I ATTORNEYS March 15, 1938. E. 1.. SMETH ET AL 2,111,338

Macmimsm FOR SUPPLYING SHEET MATERIAL Original Filed Oct. 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 22/10? Lara; Jfim/ Aw BY Chara/v h/Z'ma TTORNEYS Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM FOR SUPPLYING SHEET MATERIAL Original application October 1, 1935,'Serial No.

43,088. Divided and this application June 22,

1936, Serial No. 86,530

8 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanisms for supplying sheet material to wrapping machines or the like. More particularly, it relates to mechanisms of this character which deliver sheets successively, either as they are severed from a web or are supplied from a stack of pre-cut sheets, to

' a predetermined position in the machine being served, as for example the folding mechanism of a wrapping machine.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the delivery of the sheet at the proper point may be controlled by a simple adjustment without substitution or rearrangement of the cutting or feeding means. A further object is to secure a simplification of structure and operating advantages as will be apparent from the following specification and claims.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 43,088, filed October 1, i935.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a side view, partly in section showing the invention as applied to the wrapping machine of our above mentioned copending application;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the tension equalizing mechanism for the initial feeding of the web;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the adjustable cam mechanism for regulating the termination of the wrapper feeding operation;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the paper feed;

Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the paper supporting and feeding rolls;

Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevationof the paper feeding roll shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail showing the manner in which the movable paper feeding rolls are actuated;

Fig. 8 is aside elevation showing the parts of the paper feeding mechanism in the positions they occupy during the feeding of the paper;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the same parts in the positions they occupy after the terminatlon of the wrapper feeding operation; and

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view substantially on line III-III of Fig. 1.

The paper feeding mechanism is supported on a base frame 2|] which also serves to support the wrapping mechanism. The articles to be wrapped are fed beneath a plate 25 having a vertical extension 26 which serves as one side of an elevator well or article guiding chute across the top of which the wrapper is fed. The articles are carried upwardly to the entrance of the wrapping channel'by an elevator 29 mounted on a bar 3i reciprocable in guides 32 and is operated by a link 33 pivoted to a bell crank lever 34 which derives its motion by means of a link 35 from a crank 36 on a constantly rotating shaft 31. The elevator carries the article a with the Wrapper upwardly between spring plate 40 and a fixed plate 4|, to fold the wrapper about three sides of the article, to a position above plate I as indicated in Fig. 1 where its lower forward edge is engaged by a flapper 46 working in a slot in plate 4i against the force of a torsion spring 41. This mechanism is fully described in our above identified application and need not be further described here. I

The wrapping material is initially supplied to the machine on a spool I05 (Figs. 1 and 2) from which it passes over a tension roll I 06 provided with the usual equalizing rack and pinion connection Iill and drawn in a direction to take up the slack in the web by a spring NE. The web next comes into engagement with alternating wires I09 and III! which corrugate the material slightly in order to increase its rigidity when pushed through the cutting mechanism, these wires lying between cork rolls III geared to and 1 resting on a steel roll H2 (Figs. 1 and 4). A change gear II3 connects a gear on the shaft of the roll H2 with a gear il i on a shaft 5 conveniently driven as by a chain and sprocket connection from the shaft 31 previously referred to. The rolls iii and H2 are preferably continuously driven and project the corrugated web across a support I It and over a block III bearing a. stationary knife blade lit. Cooperating with this stationary knife is a rotatable knife H9 carried by a rotating shaft in driven from the gear IN by a gear IN. This shaft preferably carries disk like paper guiding fins I22 which serve to keep the leading end of the freshly severed web from following the rotating knife. This much of the web handling mechanism is largely conventional and need not be considered in more detail. I

The mechanism for feeding the severed sheets forwardly into the wrapping means is in some respects similar to that shown in the Fischer and Fuller Patent 1,927,585, Sept. 19, 1933,: but is simpler in construction and has certain op'erational advantages. Extending from the cutting rolls to and past the folding box are a pair of laterally spaced belts I25 adapted to contact with the upper side of the severed wrapper. Each of these belts passes around a set of pulleys I26, I21, I28 and I29, one set being shown in Fig. 8. Although the pulleys themselves do not 1 cross bar 42 which is held in adjusted position by a bolt and slot connection I60 with the frame.

Each of these bars has a plate I6I which extends between the adjacent runs of the respective belt and both prevents friction and gives a support. The shaft of the pulleys I26 is driven by a gear I32 from the gear I2I, that pulley I26 located on the movablecross bar having a splined connection with the shaft so that it will be driven positively in any position of adjustment.

The belts travel continuously, and the paper feed is secured by pressing the leading end of the web or the severed sheet upwardly against the belt as in the Fischer and Fuller patent. The mechanism for accomplishing this is, however, radically different, and is divided into two parts, one being permanently engaged with the wrapping material and the other being vertically movable so that the feeding action can be terminated at the proper point. As in the Fischer and Fuller patent the linear speed of the belts is preferably greater than the speed with which the leading end of the web is being projected by the rolls III, II 2, and the belts slip over the projecting web end, giving a stroking action to it and keeping it taut during the cutting action. As soon as the sheet is severed from the web it partakes of the higher speed of the belts, running away from the leading end of the web from which it was cut and producing the desired spacing between successively delivered sheets.

The part of the wrapper engaging mechanism permanently in pressing engagement with the belts consists in a pair of separated roll bearing frames I36 (Fig. 8) supported at their ends on brackets I36 and I31 mounted on rods I36 and I69. One of each similar pair of brackets is fixed in lateral position so as to remain in fixed relation to the cross bar 86, while the other is adjustable on its supporting rod to permit it to be shifted for different widths of paper. As is best shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the rolls I40 are separately mounted on arms I4I pivoted on pins I42 secured in the frame. Each arm has a projection I43 engaging a tie member I44 to limit the angular motion of the arm, and is pressed in a direction to carry the roll against the belt by a spring I46. If it is desired to provide the wrapper with a stripe of sealing liquid along a longitudinal margin during its passage into the machine, this can be done by a wheel I66 (Fig. 1) dipping into a trough I66 and laterally adjustable in a bar I61. The wheel is positively driven by a chain connection I68 from the shaft of gear I02.

As will be clear from Figs. 8 and 9 the rolls extend only part way along the frames, the remainder of the frames being formed with buttress-like teeth I 46 which prevent smearing of the longitudinal strip of glue when the paper is drawn into the folding box, and which by reason of their shape offer slight resistance to the forward motion of the sheet. The belts being on top only are not liable to contact with the glue.

The frames I50 which form. the intermittent part of the wrapper engaging mechanism are mounted in the space within the spaced members of the frames I36 as is best shown in Fig. '7. These second frames are carried at one end by levers I6I (Fig. 8) rotatably fixed to the rods I36 r the frames, coming adjacent that part of the frames I66 which is fitted with the teeth I46.

To elevate and depress the frames I60 periodically the rod I66 is provided with an arm I66 (Fig. 3) attached at one end by a spring I66 to'the frame and bearing at the other a cam roll III. This cam roll bears against a cam I66 secured to the shaft II6 by an adjustable clamp I66. The cam and the shaft can be readily provided with a scale and a pointer respectively, so that the position-of angular adjustment can easily be determined. Rotation of the cam relative to the shaft serves to vary the time at which the frame III is lowered and hence determines the time at which the feeding motion of the severed wrapper towards wrapping position is terminated. The time at which the frame is raised will, of course, also be varied by rotating the cam, but this is unimportant as the elevation of the frame occurs at a time when the sheet is still being advanced by the fixed rollers I40.

The operation is as follows. As the leading end of the web is projected past the cutting mechanism by the pushing action of the rolls III and H2 it will enter between the belts I26 and the first of the series of fixed rolls I40. Since the belts are traveling faster than the rolls III, II2, slippage will occur; drawing theweb taut for the cutting operation. As soon as the cutters have acted, the severed sheet which now is well within the grasp of the belt and the fixed rolls, will start to advance at the speed with which the belt is moving. At somewhat the same period the vertically movable rolls rise, furnishing a continuous guide for pressing the wrapper against the belts throughout the lengths of the frames. Forward motion of the wrapper at the speed of the belts continues until the frame I60 is lowered by the action of cam I66. The wrapper descends with the rolls I66, which are driven only by contact with the belt, and rests upon these rolls and upon the teeth I46 of the frames I66. At the same time the forward end of the wrapper contacts with a paper stop I60 (Fig. 1) which is adjustably mounted so as to be adaptable for different lengths of wrapper. The wrapper rests in this position until it is contacted by the article a being raised by the elevator 26 through the well formed by the plates 26 and 26 and the end guides I6I (Fig. 9). Additional guides for the wrapper, similar to the toothed end of the frames I36, can be located on either side of the elevator well if desirable in order to maintain extra large wrappers in fiat condition.

We claim:

1. Mechanism for delivering sheets to wrapping machines and the like, comprising one or more continuously running belts, a series of rolls positioned below the belts, and means for moving the rolls upwardly to press a sheet against the belt or downwardly to free the sheet from the belt.

2. Mechanism for delivering sheets to wrapping machines and the like, comprising one or more continuously running belts, a series of rolls positioned beloweach belt, and means for moving belt and thus to cause its forward motion, or downwardly to free the sheet from engagement with the belt, and supports arranged alongside the rolls in position to receive the sheet when the rolls are lowered.

3. Mechanism for delivering sheets to wrapping machines and the like, comprising one or more continuously running belts, a series of fixed freely rotatable rolls positioned underneath each belt for a portion of its length, a second series of freely rotatable rolls positioned underneath each belt for a further portion of its length, and means for moving said second series of rolls upwardly against the belt to form a continuation oi the sheet feeding channel formed by the belt and the first series of rolls, or downwardly to free the sheet from contact with the belt and terminate its forward motion. 2 I

d. Mechanism for delivering sheets to wrap-. ping machines and the like, comprising one or more continuously running belts, a series of freely rotatable rolls positioned below each belt and during the sheet feedingperiod of the device in contact therewith, a stop projecting into the path of the sheets, and means for lowering the rolls out of feeding contact with each belt as the leading edge of the sheet is about to contact with the stop.

5. A device for controlling the leading end portion of a web as it is being severed to formv a sheet and for advancing the so, severed sheet from a severing means, which comprises a plurality of parallel continuously moving beltsspaced laterally apart and located at one side 01' the path of travel of the leading end of the web, a plurality of freely rotatable rolls spaced apart longitudinally alongeach belt and located at the other side of the path of travel of. the web, and means for moving at least some of the rolls away from the belt to terminate the driving friction of the belt on the sheet severed from the leading end of the web.

6. A device for controlling the leading end portion of a web asit is being severed to form a sheet and for advancing the so severed sheet driving friction of the belt on the severed sheet.

7. A device for controlling the leading end portion of a web as it is being severed to form a sheet and for advancing the so severed sheet from a severing means, which comprises a plurality of parallel continuously moving belts spaced laterally apart and located at one side of the path of travel of the leading end of the web, means for driving said belts at a linear speed faster than the speed at which the web is traveling, a set of freely rotatable rolls spaced apart longitudinally along each belt and located at the other side of the path of travel of the web adjacent the point. of severance of the web so that the leading end of the web is under the control of said belt and said rolls and is drawn out taut by the belts slippingover it, a second portion of a web as it is being severed to form a sheet and for advancing the sosevered sheet from a severing means, which comprises a plurality of parallel continuously moving belts spaced laterally'apart and located at one side .of the path of travel of the leading end of the web, means for driving said belts at a linear speed faster than the speed at which the web is traveling, a set of freely rotatable rolls spaced an rt longitudinally along each belt and located at he other side of the path of travel of the web adjacent the point of severance of the web so that the leading end of .the web is under the control of said belt and said rolls and is drawn out taut by the belts slipping over it until the socontrolled leading portion has been severed toform a sheet, and thereafter, the severed sheet will be carried along by frictional engagement with the belt at a higher linear speed than that at which the web is moving so that it is progressively separated from the body of the web, a second set of 'rolls located on the same side of the path of travel of the web as the first set but spaced along the belt beyond the first set, means for moving the second set of rolls away from the belts to terminate the driving friction of the belts on the severed sheet, and sheet supporting means positioned to receive and support in a predetermined position the sheet so released from driving engagement with the belts. 

